Window regulator



Sept. 5, 1933. 5 w NICHOLSQN 1,925,401

w'nwow REGULATOR Filed Sept. 12, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 1 1 (Sm/WM flanZ yWMz/w/am P 1933. s. w. NICHOLSON 1,925,401

WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Sept. 12. 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LIZ 3.

, SSMUQMX ow flan/5y W [WU/7019i P 5, 1933- s.w. NICHOLSON 1,925,401

WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Sept. 12, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 5 9 iSMz/m 3 Ean/5y MMz/w/san W w b Patented Sept. 5, 1933 ii ET is STATES WINDOWREGULATOR Stanley W. Nicholson, "Milwaukee, Wis.,'assigncr to Briggs &Stratton Corporation, Milwaukee,

Wis, a corporation of Delaware Application September 12, 1932 Serial No.632,714

15 Claims. (Cl. 2 6S-132) This invention relates to improvements inwindow regulators and refers more particularly to regulators adapted foruse with automotive vehicles.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, efficientregulator having great flexibility of application.

Another object of this invention is to provide a window regulator inwhich the means for actu- 10 ating the Window pane serves as a rigidsupport and guide for thepane to be particularly adaptable to windows ofirregular shape.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel rigidconnection between the window pane and its actuating means, which may bequickly detached or engaged, and which is ad- 'ustable to accommodatelateral misalignment of the window pane and the actuating means.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction,combination-and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it beingunderstood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to thebest mode I have so far devised for the practical application of theprinciples thereof, and in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a conventional vehicle door illustratingthe application of this invention thereto, parts being broken away toillustrate structural details; i

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the regulator mechanism perse, with partsbroken away and in section;

Figure 3 is a sideview, particularly of the connecting arms taken on theplane of ,the line 33 of Fig. 2; V

Figure 4 is a cross section view taken through Fig. 2, on the plane ofthe line 4-4;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the relationshipof the driving pinionand rack;

Figure 6, is a detail perspective view of the eccentric driving meansoperated from the handle, and

Figure 7 is a detail section view illustrating the manner in which thewindow pane is attached to the rack. Referring now more particularly tothe accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like partsthroughout the several views, the numeral 5 indicates generally anautomotive vehicle door having a window opening G'adapted to be closedby a pane 7. The window pane 7 is mounted in suitable guideways carriedby the sides of the window opening and is adapted to be raised andlowered by means of a novel regulator indicated generally by the numeral8.

This regulator, as is customary, is mounted beneath the sill of thewindow opening from a cross panel 9 which forms part of thedoorstructure. A rack bar 10, attached to the window pane, as will be laterdescribed, is slidably mounted ina channelled guiding and supportingmember 11 which in turn is supported from the panel 9 and a verticalbrace 12 connecting the lower edge of the panel 9 with the bottom of thedoor. Any suitable manner of attaching the channel member 11 to thepanel andilorace 12 may be employed, and in the present instance bossesor pads 13 are pressed from the web of the channel member to be rivetedto the panel 9 and brace 12. I I

As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, thechannel guiding and supporting member11 has inturned flanges 14 to overlie the rack bar with their facingedges spaced apart to permit access to the adjacent side of the rackbar. Secured to this side of the rack bar and projecting from betweenthe flanges l4 are two U-shaped longitudinal channels 15, the closedends of which are rigidly secured to the rack as by welding, andtheflanges of which are equi-spaced to provide a series of spaced ribs orflanges." These ribs or flanges are interleaved with similar flanges 16which form part of a substantially triangular attaching member 17.

The specific construction of the attaching member 17 is apparent fromthe drawings, and as shown comprises several individual sections bent toform the flanges 16 and the flat web of the attaching member generally;At the. lower end of the attaching membena cross piece 18 holds theunits together and at the upperv end, the channel 19 in which the windowpane '7 is mounted, being welded thereto, serves to connect theattaching member sections.

The attaching member 17 and its spaced flanges 16 being rigidly securedto the window pane provides one part or element of the removableconnection between the window pane and the rack and by reason of themultiplicity of the interengaging flanges it is apparent-thatwhere-necessary, a degree of lateral adjustment in the connectionbetween the window and rack may be obtained merely by interengaging theflanges differently. This interengaging connection affords a strongrigid attachment between the window pane and rack, which may be quicklymade by shifting the window longitudinally with respect to the rack.

Figure 7 indicates'the manner in which the window pane is held down ontothe rack after the flanges and 16 are engaged. To this end; a springfinger 20 is fitted to the upper end of the rack bar to have its endoverlying the upper edge of the adjacent flange of the channel 19.Obviously, when so engaged the window pane is rigidly held down onto therack. Detachment of the window pane from the rack may be effected byforcing the finger 20 out of engagement with the channel flange.

From the description thus far, it is evident that a novel, quickly made,rigid connection is afforded between the actuating rack bar and thewindow pane, and inasmuch as the rack bar is positively guided, thewindow pane receives support therefrom.

To actuate the rack bar and raise and lower the window, a pinion 21 issupported from the member 11, to be in constant mesh with the teeth ofthe rack bar. The bearing 22 for the pinion may be of any suitabledesign and'in the present instance, consists of a V shaped flat memberhaving a suitable aperture at its apex to receive the shaft 23 of thepinion. The ends of the V shaped bracket are riveted or otherwiserigidly secured to the flat web of the sup porting member 11. i

As illustrated, the pinion 21 is disposed at one side of the supportingbracket 22 with its shaft 23 passing therethrough, and a disc 24 ispositioned at the opposite side of the bracket, the disc being rigidlyconnected with the pinion through the shaft 23.

Rotation is imparted to the pinion from a manually operable actuatingunit indicated generally by the numeral 25, in a novel manner now aboutto be described.

The operating unit 25 comprises a handle 26 having its shank journalledin a conventional releasable clutch or brake mechanism 2'7, which,because of its conventional nature has not been shown in detail. Thisreleasable clutch or brake mechanism is housed within a cup 28 which issupported from an attaching plate 29 riveted to the panel 9. Overlyingthe attaching plate 29 is a disc 30 which forms part of the drivenmember of the clutch mechanism 2'7 and which, upon actuation of thehandle 26, is rotated about the axis of the handle shank.

The outer face of the disc 30 has a crank pin 31 projected therefrom andsecured to the outer end of the crank pin at a distance from the face ofthe disc is a crank arm 33 which carries at itsouter end a second crankpin 34. The crank pins 31 and 34 have the same crank radius and arespaced from each other approximately ninety degrees or at least lessthan one hundred and eighty degrees.

The pinion 21 and the disc 24 also have crank pins 35 and 36,respectively. These crank pins are arranged in the same manner as thecrank pins 31 and 34, that is, they have the same crank radius and arespaced apart the same angular distance.

Connecting the crank pins 31 and 34 of the operating unit 25 with thecrank pins 35 and 36 at the pinion are two pitmen or connecting arms 37and 38. These arms are of the same length and are of channelled crosssection so that the arm 38 lies in flat juxtaposition to the arm 37 andis receivable between its side flanges. It is to be observed that thearms cross each other and as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shape ofthe arm 37 is such as to accommodate the arm 38 at all positions oftheir relative movements. For this purpose, the arm 37 is widened ateach side of its medial portion.

A stud 39 carried by the arm 37 and received in an elongated slot 40 inthe arm 38 serves to pivotally and slidably connect the two arms.

As observed from Fig. 3, one end of the arm 38 lies directly over theouter face of the disc 30 to be engaged with the crank pin 31 and theadjacent end of the arm 3'? is engaged withthe crank pin 34.

The opposite ends of the arms diverge slightly to overlie the disc 24and the pinion 21 with the arm 38 connected to the crank pin 36 on thedisc 24 and the arm 3'7 connected to the crank pin 35 carried by thepinion 21.

The arms being of equal length and the crank radii being equal, itfollows that a smooth easily operated driving connection is affordedbetween the operating unit 25 and the pinion to transmit rotation fromthe operating unit to the pinion in a simple and efficient manner; andin view of the provision of dual arms connected as defined, locking ofthe unit on dead center is wholly precluded.

The weight of the window pane is counterbalanced by two tensile springs41, each having one end connected to a lug 42 extended from the upperend of the rigid supporting member 11 and having their other endsengaged with an arm 43 carried by the lower end of the rack. As the rackis lowered to open the window. the springs are forcibly expanded andthus counterbalance the weight of the window.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art to whichan invention of this character appertains that this invention affords asimple and efiicient window regulator which is particularly flexible inits adaptation to different installations; and in which a novel rigidreadily detachable con-- nection is afforded between the window pane andits actuating means.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a window regulator of the character described, a rack bar, meansto support a window pane from "said rack bar, a pinion meshing with therack bar to actuate the same, an operating handle remote from thepinion, means to drive said pinion from the operating handle comprising,a crank at the handle, a crank at the pinion, and a pitman connectingthe cranks, and a second driving means to assist said first mentionedmeans at dead center.

2. In a window regulator of the character described, a rack, means tosupport a window pane from said rack, a pinion meshing with the rack toactuate the same, an operating handle remote from the pinion, and meansto drivingly connect the operating handle and pinion comprising, aplurality of crank pins at the operating handle, a plurality of crankpins at the pinion, and a plurality of pitmen each connecting a crankpin'at the operating handle with a crank pin at the pinion.

3. In a window regulator of the character described, a rack, means tosupport a window pane from the rack, a pinion meshing with therac k toactuate the same, an operating handle remote from the pinion, and meansto drivingly connect the operating handle' and pinion comprising, a pairof circumferentially spaced crank pinsdriven from the operatingliaiid-le, a pairof-circumfer-entially spaced crank pins connectedwith't-he pinion, and a pair of p'itmen each connecting-one crank pin'atthe operating handle with one crank pin at the pinion, said pitmencrossing each other at-their medial portions.

l. In a window regulator, arack. bar, means to support a window panefrom the rack bar, apinion meshing'with the rack bar-to actuate thesame, an operating handle remote from the pinion, and means to drivinglyconnect the operating handle with the pinion comprising, a first crankpin to be driven from the operating handle, a second crank pin carriedby the first crank pin and spaced from the first crank pin a distanceless than 180 degrees, spaced crank pins connected with the pinion, anda pair of pitmen one connecting the first crank pin at the operatinghandle with one of the crank pins at the pin on and the other connectingthe second crank pin at the operating handle with the other crank pin atthe pinion.

. In a window regulator, a rack bar, means to connect a window pane withthe rack bar, a pinion meshing with the rack bar, an operating handleremote from the pinion, and means drivingly connecting the operatinghandle with the pinion comprising, a pair of arms pivotally connected attheir medial portions, crank means for connecting one end of each armwith the operating handle, and crank means for connecting the other endsof the arms with the pinion.

6. In a window regulator, a rack bar, means to connect a window panewith the rack bar, a pinion meshing with the rack bar, an operatinghandle remote from the pinion, a pair of circumfercntially spaced crankpins driven from the operating handle, a pair of circumferentiallyspaced crank pins connected with the pinion, and a pair of arms havingtheir opposite ends engaging the crank pins so that one'arm drivinglyconnects one crank pin at the operating handle with one crank pin at thepinion and the other arm drivingly connects the other crank pin at theoperating handle with the other crank pin at the pinion,

reinforcing flanges projected laterally from the side marginal edges ofthe arms with the flanges of both arms extending in the same direction,and

means to pivotally and slidably connect'the medial portions of the websof the arms whereby one arm is positioned within the reinforcing flangesof the other, said other arm being of a shape to accommodate themovement of the first arm.

'7. In a window regulator, a rack bar, means to connect a window panewith the rack bar, a pinion meshing with the rack bar, an operatinghandle remote from the pinion, a disc-like member adapted to be drivenfrom the operating handle, a crank pin on said disc-like member, a crankarm extended from saidcrank pinand terminating in a second crank pin,said crank pins having a commoncrank axis, and being spaced less thanone hundred and eighty degrees from each other, a pair of crank pinsconnected with the pinion and similarly spaced from each other with asimilar crank radius, and a pair of connecting arms to drivingly connectthe crank pins at the operating handle with the crank pins at thepinion, said connecting arms being arranged to cross each other at theirmedial portions.

8. In a window regulator, a rack bar, means to support a window panefrom the rack bar, means to support and guide the rack bar, abearingmember carried by said last mentioned means, a pinion at one side of thebearing member and journalled therefrom to mesh with the rack bar, acrank pin on the exposed face of the pinion, a second crank pinconnected with the pinion and operable at the side of the bearing memberopposite the pinion, said crank pins having a common crank radius andbeing circumferentially spaced less than one hundred and eighty de--grees, a pair of pitmen, each havingone end connected with one of thecrank pins, an operating handle adjacent the opposite ends of thepitmen, and crank means for connecting the operating handle with saidopposite ends of the pitmen;

9. In a Window regulator of the character described, a rack bar, meansto support a window a distance less than one hundred and eighty degrees,a pair of overlying arms each having one end connected with one of saidcrank pins, an operating handle adjacent the opposite ends of the arms,andcrank means to drivingly connect the operating handle with said arms.

10. In a window regulator, a rack bar, means to support a window panefrom the rack bar, a pinion meshing with the rack bar, overlying armseccentrically connected with the pinion, an operating handle, and meansto simultaneously reciprocate the overlying arms to turn the pinion, theeccentric connections of the arms with the pinion being spaced apartless than one hundred and eighty degrees to preclude locking on deadcenter.

11. In combination with a window pane to be raised and lowered, a rackmember, fixed means to guide and support the rack member forlongitudinal movement in line with the opening and closing movement ofthe window pane, manually operable means to actuate the rack member, anda rigid sidewise adjustable connection between the rack member andwindow pane, said connection comprising a plurality of spaced flangesrigidly secured to the rack member, and a plurality of similarly spacedflanges rigidly connected with the window pane, the flanges carried bythe window pane being selectively receivable in the spaces between theflanges secured to the rack member to enable lateral adjustment betweenthe window pane and rack member.

12. In combination with a window pane to be raised and lowered, a rack,a rigid supporting and guiding member mounting the rack for movement inline with the opening and closing movement of the window pane, manuallyoperable means to actuate the rack, and a connection between the rackand window pane comprising, a plurality of interengaging members carriedby the window pane and rack, interengagement of said members beingpossible by longitudinal shifting of the window pane with respect to therack and lateral adjustment of the relative po sition of the rack withrespect to the window pane being possible by interengaging said .mem-

bers differently.

13. In a window regulator to move a window pane to and from closedposition, arack bar, means mounting the rack bar for longitudinal.movement parallel to the motion of the window pane, means to connect therack bar and window pane, a pinion meshing with the rack bar, anoperating handle remote from the pinion, and a pitman eccentricallyconnected with the operat-- ing handle and the pinion to drivinglyconnect the same.

14. In combination with a window pane to be raised and lowered, a rack,a rigid supporting and guiding member mounting the rack for movement inline with the opening and closing movement of the window pane, means toactuate the rack, and a rigid sidewise adjustable connection between therack and the window pane, whereby the window pane is rigidly supportedagainst tilting and may be readily adjusted laterally with respect tothe rack.

15. In combination with a window pane to be raised and lowered, a rack,means to rigidly support and guide the rack for longitudinal movementparallel to the movement of the window pane, means to actuate said rack,and a connection between the rack and window pane comprising, aplurality of interengaging members carried by the window pane and rack,said members being interengageable at difierent positions to affordlateral adjustment of the window pane with respect to the rack.

STANLEY W. NICHOLSON.

